Rubio Arrives in Gulf to Reassure Allies Wary of US-Iran Peace Deal
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the UAE on Tuesday to kick off a high-stakes three-nation tour aimed at calming growing unease among Gulf allies over the Trump administration’s controversial interim agreement with Iran. Rubio will travel to Kuwait and Bahrain later this week, where he is scheduled to meet with officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a bloc that includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman . The diplomatic mission comes just days after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran following the G7 summit, establishing a 60-day ceasefire and a framework for broader negotiations.
The Gulf tour underscores the delicate balancing act facing the top US diplomat . While GCC leaders publicly pushed for a diplomatic off-ramp during the recent US-Israeli war with Iran, many have been privately shocked by the specific terms of the draft agreement . Particular concerns include the absence of restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program, a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund for Tehran, and provisions that could expand Iran’s influence over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. All six GCC nations host US military bases that form the backbone of Washington’s security architecture in the Middle East, and any rethink of their security relationship with Washington could significantly impact US military strategy in the region . Rubio faces the challenging task of reassuring anxious allies without appearing to criticize the agreement championed by President Trump.
